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Rebecca's Family

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Jaap Romijn: Rebecca's father is of Dutch origin and is a toy-maker turned furniture-designer. He came to California from Barneveld, the chicken capital of Holland. Jaap Romijn has build custom furniture at his own company "Jaap Romijn & Friends" in Emeryville, California. Today he is living in Port Townsend.

Elizabeth Kuizenga Romijn: Elizabeth Kuizenga Romijn is an American-born Dutch. She grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She received a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of California in Berkeley in 1969 and immediately began teaching ESL that fall for the Mission Campus of City College of San Francisco, where she can still be found today. In 1983 she received an M.A. in Linguistics-ESL from San Jose State University. She is the author of Puppies or Poppies? ESL Bingo, a teacher's resource. With Contee Seely she is co-author of the books Live Action English and TPR Is More Than Commands-At All Levels. She has presented teachers' workshops on TPR and multi-level ESL throughout California. She is also a teacher of the SHINE (Students Helping in the Naturalization of Elders) project. She lives in Richmond, California.

Elizabeth Romijn met her husband while studying in Europe. Rebecca Romijn also has family in Holland. "I have family all over Holland," she says. "One uncle, who is the vet in a very small town, lives in a cottage with a thatched roof and has a barn with a hayloft. And that's where we sleep when we stay with him in the hayloft." Rebecca: "Where I grew up, it was very intellectual and politically correct. We weren't really hippies, but we didn't have any money and my parents donated every extra cent they had to fight the Vietnam war effort."

Tamara Romijn: Rebecca Romijn has a brand new bag. The Berkeley-raised actress, whose blockbuster X-Men: The Last Stand hits theaters on May 26 (2006, RRF), likes to carry her poodle, Better, in a specially fashioned soft straw tote. The Better Tote, which has leather trim, nylon lining, and a leash hook, was designed by Romijn’s younger sister, Tamara. “Rebecca asked me to design a dog tote that looked like a designer purse,” Tamara explains, “so she could sneak Better onto the set of her TV show (Pepper Dennis airs Tuesdays on the WB network).” Tamara’s designs worked out so well, she’s releasing the Better Tote in upscale pet stores this month. The bag is the newest product from her company, Oh Henry, a Richmond-based purveyor of machine-washable car seat covers. Romijn’s business was inspired by her coon hound, Henry, whose muddy paws and active salivary glands spoiled a number of uncovered car seats. Oh Henry products are available at Red Hound, 5523 College Ave., Oakland.

Original article: Diablomag.com

Tamara Romijn has tagged along to experience firsthand how a Hollywood celeb is treated. "Tamara is the wisest person I know," Romijn says quite excitedly. "She's so much smarter than me. I think we're closer now than ever before because I'm now at peace with my life."

[..]

Watching the sisters interact is enlightening. Rebecca, very much the protective sibling, tells jokes at breakneck speed, ensuring her sister genuinely enjoys her first moment in the media spotlight. "Tamara and my close friends keep me in line if I ever get to "Hollywood" on them," Romijn says. "Trust me, my reality is constantly being checked." Understandably, Tamara is much more camera shy than her ready-for-her-closeup sister. In appearance and demeanor, Tamara strongly reminds me of Cameron Diaz - a good thing.

I have to ask Tamara the inevitable: Sibling rivalry? Jealousy? Resentment? "When we were kids, Rebecca wanted everything I had," Tamara says. "I don't know how many of my dolls she took from me. But we're so close now and I'm so proud of her. She's truly an inspiration, and a blast to hang out with. You know, as a little sister I always had hand-me-downs - but they're definitely getting better and better!" As Rebecca leans in to whisper something delicious into Tamara's ear, I ask, I think politely, what was said. Looking at each other - as if on cue for a magical movie moent - they simultaneously explode into laughing hysterics. Undeterred, I ask again. With a beaming smile Rebecca Romijn, movie goddess, tells me sweetly, "It's just a sister thing." And what a beautiful thing it is.

Original article: 7 x 7 San Fransisco September 2002

Rebecca's grandmother: KUIZENGA, Grace Elizabeth Abney - October 14, 1917 - June 20, 2005 Betty passed away peacefully surrounded by her family. She was born in Sullivan, IL, and raised in Chicago, where she earned a degree in art and education at the University of Chicago in 1937. A gifted teacher and an accomplished sculptress, painter, seamstress and
doll maker, she taught art in Maryland and Illinois and arts and crafts in San Francisco and southern California. She and her late husband, the Reverend Dr. Henry B. Kuizenga, a Presbyterian minister and seminary professor, raised their family in Ann Arbor, MI and in San Anselmo, CA. She had lived at Piedmont Gardens in Oakland, CA since 1990. Betty is survived by her sisters, Frances Sulanke and Helen Jean Krathwohl; her daughters, Hendrika Smith, Elizabeth Kuizenga, Francey Liefert, and Katrina Bergen; and grandchildren Rebecca and Tamara Romijn, Peter Smith, Marcus and David Liefert, Andrea and Nicholas Bergen. A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, June 27 at 7:00 pm in the Skyroom at Piedmont Gardens, 110-41st St, Oakland, CA 94611. No gladiolas, please.